Collapsible traffic button



April 2S, 1931. W, F. CORNEUUS 1,802,940v

COLLAPSIBLE TRAFFIC BUTTON Filed May 25, 1928 @gummi-num@ I. I l I g/go'/ddg .l n L/ 4 a .J l

" W. Caen/4106.

Patented Apr. 28, 1931 .errar it;

l WESLEY F. CORNELIUS, OF VII-IITTIER, CALIFORNIA COLLAPSIBLE TRAFFIC BUTTON Application filed May 25,

My invention relates to a collapsible traffic button, and has for its principal object the provision of a tratlic button that is designed to be placed on the surface of street pavements and roadways for assisting in the control of trai'lic and for indicating safety zones for pedestrians, and which button is formed of flexible material having a sulicient degree of elasticity to return to its normal position after being collapsed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tra-flic button that will collapse readily when struck by a vehicle wheel, thus eliminating the shock or bump produced where a vehicle wheel strikes and passes over a solid immovable button of the type that are now in general use on city streets.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple and eflicient means for firmly anchoring the collapsible button to the pavement or street surface.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a collapsible traffic button constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a nut that is utilized as a part of the button.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the upper central portion of a modilied form of the button.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a hollow substantially hemispherical member that is preferably formed of rubber, or of a composition having rubber as its principal ingredient, and formed integral with the lower edge of this hemispherical body is an inwardly presented horizontally disposed liange 1l.

Formed in the top of the wall of the body 10 is a centrally arranged aperture 12 that permits a tool to be inserted for manipw 1928. Serial No. 280,480.

lat-ing the nut that forms a part of the button anchoring means, and formed through the lower portion of the body 10, and preferably just above the inwardly presented flange 11 is a series of apertures 13 which 55 permits any water that mayV enter the aperture 12 to discharge outwardly from the hollow body.

The collapsible button thus constructed is anchored to the pavement by means of a ec metal plate lll, the marginal portion of which overlies the inturned flange 11, and the center of said plate being provided with an aperture 15 that receives the threaded upper end of a bolt or .the like 16, and the et latter being anchored in the street pavement.

Screw seated on that portion of the bolt that projectsthrough the plate le isa nut 17 preferably in the form of'a dat or low cone, and which is provided with apertures 7c or recesses 18 that may be engaged by the prongs of a spanner wrench or like tool. In tie manipulation of this nut the Spanner wrench is inserted through the aperture 12.

ln some instances it may be found desirable to reinforce the wall of the body l0, and the flanges thereof and where such reinforcement is carried out one or more layers of fabric are embedded in the wall of the body after the manner of the rein- So forcing fabric utilized in the casings of automobile tires. f

Under normal conditions the body of the button maintains its open or non-collapsed position, thereby defining traffic lines and safety zones, and in the event that the wheel vof a vehicle 'strikes and passes over the button, the same will readily collapse without imparting a bump or shock to the vehicle.

After the wheel of the vehicle leaves the button the resiliency of the material of which the body is formedwill cause the same to return -to its normal open or distended position. A

It is the present general practice to construct trailic buttons of metal, and where such buttons are struck by the ywheels of rapidly moving vehicles, for instance police ears, ambulances, motor Clriven'or fire ghtn 109 ing apparatus and the like, there isl great danger of serious accidents due to the 11npact between the wheels and the solid unyielding buttons, but by the use of collapsible trailic buttons, as contemplated by my invention, the possibilities of such accidents are eliminated.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a collapsible tratlic button that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and veryeffective Ain performing and an anchoring member seated in the pavement and projecting above the surface thereof, of means located wholly within said collapsible body lfor securing the same to said anchoring member. Y

2. The combination with a substantially mushroom shaped hollow body formed of elastic material andan anchoring member seated in the pavement of means located wholly within said hollow body for securing the same to said anchoring member.

3. A trailic button comprising a hollow hemispherical body formed of elastic material, an inwardly presented flange on the base of said body, a plate overlying said ange, and means for anchoring said plate to the pavement.

4l. A collapsible traiic button comprising a hollow hemispherical body formed of elastic material, and the wall of which body is provided with apertures and a flange projecting inwardly from the lower edge of said body.

5. A collapsible traiiic button comprising a hollow hemispherical body formed of elastic material, there being an opening in the upper central portion of the wall of said body there being openings formed through the wall of said body adjacent to its lower end and a iange projecting inwardly from the lower edge of said body.

8. A traflic button comprising a hollow mushroom shaped collapsible body and a flange projecting inwardly from the base of said body.

9. A traffic button comprising a hollow mushroom shaped collapsible body, a flange projecting inwardly from the base of said body and anchoring means having a portion overlying said flange.

10. A traffic button comprising a hollow mushroom shaped collapsible body, a flange projecting inwardly from the base of said body and Ythere being apertures formed in the wall of said button adjacent to said inwardly projecting flange.

l1. A trafic button comprising a hollow mushroom shaped collapsible body, a flange projecting inwardly from the base of said body and there being an opening in the top of the body of said button.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

IVESLEY F. CORNELIUS.

6. A collapsible trallic button comprising a hollow hemispherical body formed of elastic material, an inwardly presented ange on the lower portion of said body and there being apertures formedin the wall of the body adjacent to said flange. Y

7. The combination with anA anchoring member of a substantially mushroom shaped collapsible Vtrailiic button and means located wholly within the button for securingthesameto said anchoring means. 

